​Since passage of the Affordable Care Act, the changes under the law have been real and have helped our parents, sisters, brothers, grandparents and children right here in eastern Connecticut. Take, for example, Steven Waslo, a sophomore the University of Connecticut.

Even as American oil supplies remained secure and ample -- even as domestic oil production is at its highest level since 2003 -- the price of crude in the commodities market is spiking ever upward. The price of gasoline has gone up more than 40 cents over the past three weeks nationally, and it continues to trend higher. Tom Kloza, head of the Oil Price Information Service, said that not only could gas prices continue to rise, but if unrest continues in the Middle East, the cost per gallon could spike to $5 or more.

​Today, Republican Members of Congress who ran on a platform of repealing health care and patients' rights for millions of Americans officially began receiving their own Congressional health insurance. Just two weeks after their party voted unanimously to strip patient protections and affordable coverage for all Americans, all but 15 new Republican members of the 112th Congress are enrolled in a comprehensive insurance plan. Their plan is paid for with generous subsidies courtesy of the American taxpayer, and has no waiting period for pre-existing illness or disability.

​On a hot, sunny Saturday earlier this month, I joined several Navy and congressional leaders and thousands of enthusiastic onlookers at Subase New London in cheering not just the commissioning of our nation’s newest attack submarine, the USS Missouri, but the reminder that “American-Made” is still the gold standard. Built in record time and with the most advanced technology available, the new submarine is a testament to the hard work and skill of the men and women of Electric Boat and the hundreds of small- and mid-sized manufacturing shops that comprise the submarine industrial base.

​I recently visited Preston to see again the hard work that goes into maintaining a family-owned dairy farm. Gerry Grabarek inherited Preston Farms from his grandfather, and has been milking cows since 1972. We talked about the long hours and manpower that farming requires, and the work needed to protect dairy farms and a New England way of life.

​Late last month, the U.S. House of Representatives took an historic step forward for America's submarine force. We authorized the production of two Virginia-class submarines next year and for the foreseeable future. In eastern Connecticut, that means jobs and innovation will grow, new technology will be created, and that the Congress, president, and secretary of Defense have reaffirmed the national security value of submarines.